Admissions & Prerequisites
Generally, GT requires a 4-year degree (or a 3-year degree, plus 1 additional year of degree study, like a BS/MS). If you need more information, you may contact GT's Office of Graduate Studies at grad.ask@grad.gatech.edu
Decisions will be released around the end of February.
The primary application deadline for the on-campus MSA is January 1, and late applications can be submitted through March 15 for all applicants, including international applicants. We generally review all applications after the January 1 deadline.
Yes!
All applicants are expected to have basic background in mathematics (at least one college-level course or equivalent knowledge in calculus, probability/statistics, and some linear algebra) and computing (at least one college-level course or equivalent knowledge in computer programming using a high-level language like C, C++, Java, Python, FORTRAN, etc.)
If you are unsure of your background, we recommend taking one or more Georgia Tech preparatory courses such as MATH 1712, ISYE 6739, MATH 1553, and/or CS 1301 when they arrive on campus. Googling these courses, you'll see a fundamental list of topics you should learn (and in some cases, an entire course web page with course notes, homeworks, etc.). Any course you take that includes all those topics should be acceptable; whether it's in a classroom, online, or even self-taught.
Overall, we're looking for people who have outstanding potential in analytics, regardless of background. We look at many parts of your application: academic background (college/university, grades, courses, major, etc.), test scores, resume, experience, letters of recommendation, personal statement, etc.
You can find the prerequisites and admissions requirements at https://www.analytics.gatech.edu/apply.
You can find the full list of admission requirements at http://analytics.gatech.edu/apply.
All applicants are expected to have a basic background in mathematics and computing including as well as a four-year bachelor's degree or equivalent.
- At least one college-level course or equivalent knowledge in calculus, probability/statistics, and some linear algebra
- At least one college-level course or equivalent knowledge in computer programming using a high-level language like C, C++, Java, Python, FORTRAN, etc. GRE or GMAT scores
- Resume
- Personal Statement
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
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TOEFL scores (minimum score of 100) or IELTS scores (minimum score of 7.5) are also required for international applicants.
- (Unless you qualify for one of the exemptions listed at https://grad.gatech.edu/english-proficiency you will need to take the TOEFL or IELTS).
Careers/Career Support
The GaTech MSA Career Services team works hard to ensure every graduate receives the guidance and training needed for the working world. The MSA program has strong relationships with a number of employers.
In addition, to practicum projects and weekly workshops, potential employers make regular visits and presentations to MSA students. The School also provides opportunities for students to talk with recruiters through technical talks, workshops, conferences and career treks. Learn more about the career services and opportunities that we offer.
Yes, we are an official STEM program (CIP code 52.1399).
Students in each track are able to choose from a large array of extra electives targeted toward that track's topics. In regards to job opportunities from one track to another, there are no measurable differences.
Throughout the years, every MSA graduate has received one or more job offers. Annually, the placement rates are usually in the 95-100% range. You can find detailed placement stats at https://www.analytics.gatech.edu/career-services/placement.
Financials
We are able to offer many of our students assistantships for at least one semester. Few students also receive fellowships. Initial fellowship and assistantship offers are decided during the regular admissions process, so no need to apply separately; every applicant is automatically considered.
The total tuition and fees for Georgia residents amount to approximately $41,800. For students applying out of state, the combined amount is about $56,000. For a detailed breakdown of tuition and fees, click here.
There is a non-refundable $2,000 program fee due when a student accepts an offer of admission to the on-campus program only, which goes to support some of the special resources on-campus MS Analytics students are given.
The application fee is $75 for U.S. applicants and $85 for international applicants. Your application will not be received until the fee is paid.
Fee Waivers
Current Federal TRIO program applicants, such as McNair Scholars, are eligible for an application fee waiver. For consideration, you should email a PDF of your current program participation certificate to grad.ask@gatech.edu(link sends e-mail) for guidance on how to obtain this waiver. You will receive an email response within 5-7 business days indicating whether or not the application fee has been waived. Do not pay the application fee until you receive a response from our office, as the fee is nonrefundable. No other fee waivers are available.
GRE/GMAT
The GRE code is 5248. It doesn't matter which department you specify; GT automatically matches scores with applications regardless of department.
We look at all of the scores we receive. We consider the highest in each section, but we also look at the other scores you've earned.
We generally require all applicants to submit a GRE or GMAT score. However, if you have a previous graduate degree we do accept old/expired scores.
We understand that some people aren't able to take these tests right now due to COVID in their area. If that's your situation, please upload in your application a statement describing the situation in place of uploading your GRE or GMAT scores.
Over the last few years, our students' median GRE/GMAT scores range in the 92nd-94th percentile quantitative and 85th-90th percentile verbal. However, when considering your application we don't solely look at GRE/GMAT scores. Taking a holistic approach, we look at many parts of your application, including academic background, test scores, resume, experience, letters of recommendation, personal statement, etc.
Program/Curriculum
We generally only start on-campus cohorts in the Fall, but occasionally we do allow GT students to begin the program if they have the right background in computing and statistics/operations research. If interested, please contact the Director of MSA, Prof. Sokol, to discuss the details.
Yes, we are an official STEM program (CIP code 52.1399).
Academically, the two programs are the same: same requirements, same courses (with fewer elective options online), and taught by the same faculty. There's clearly a difference in the delivery style between face-to-face in a classroom and full online delivery. The other main differences are in the non-academic pieces. On-campus students pay significantly higher tuition; in return, they get a lot of perks, such as personalized assistance from job placement specialists, a conference travel budget for networking and job search, special bootcamps in technical topics (math, statistics, programming, software, etc.) and non-technical topics (e.g., professional communication, interview skills), career panels and job fairs restricted only to analytics students, etc.
The goal of the MSA Practicum is to give students the opportunity to apply skills learned in the classroom to a real-world data science problem. The practicum is a one-semester experience that equates to 6 academic credits. Students can choose to fulfill the MSA Practicum through an internship, on-campus practicum project, or – in the case of US Citizens and Permanent Residents – a full-time job.
For the on-campus practicum project option, students have an opportunity to work in a team on a data science project of significant interest and value to a company, government agency, non-profit or other organization. Students will work to define and scope the analytics problem, apply appropriate analytics ideas, methodologies & tools, and present their findings to the sponsor. Past projects have included performing social media sentiment analysis for a tech company, predicting the likelihood of injury for professional athletes, and developing a predictive model to identify patients as high risk for hospital readmission.
For more information on the practicum click here.
Our part-time on-campus students generally have the flexibility to come to campus during the day to take their courses (usually 1-2 courses per semester). Most finish in about two years, though some have taken longer -- you are free to go at your own pace, and even take a semester off if you need it for family or work reasons. The Institute allows up to 6 years for students to complete a Master's degree.
Student Life
All Georgia Tech clubs and organizations are open to all GT students, both undergraduate and graduate with a few exceptions but for the most part, whatever you're interested in you can be a part of.There are also a number of Data Science, Analytics, and Consulting clubs. Learn more about Student Life at Georgia Tech.
TOEFL/IELTS
Unless you qualify for one of the exemptions listed at https://grad.gatech.edu/english-proficiency you will need to take the TOEFL or IELTS. It's rare for us to admit someone whose TOEFL or IELTS score is below the minimum, but does occasionally happen.
All international students from countries in which English is not the primary native language must take an English-language-proficiency test, except international students who have attended a college or university in the United States for at least one academic year (two semesters or three quarters).
English Testing Options
You can submit one of the following score types:
- TOEFL IBT
- TOEFL IBT Special Home Edition
- IELTS Academic Test
- IELTS Indicator Academic Test (IELTS Home version of the test)
- Language Assessment provided by the Georgia Tech Language Institute (A score of 3 is required for admission.)
